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I Didn't Plan to be a Witch: And Other Surprises of a Joyful Mother
Linda Eyre, who co-authored the New York Times bestseller Teaching Your Children Values, has nine children. She knows that although no mother plans to be a witch, there are times when every mother does a terrific job of playing the part.
In her reassuring and hilarious report on being a mother in today's hectic world, Linda honestly describes not only the vital importance and magnificent moments of motherhood, but also those days when mothers feel they are living in a Roadrunner cartoon that never ends. She shares her own experiences with managing unmanageable schedules, coping with mealtime chaos, trying to find time for herself, and the sometimes desperate measures and compromises that are necessary to get it all done (and even then, not always). Whether offering advice on streamlining your life, coping with the martyr syndrome, or ignoring the outrageous demands of toddlers and teens with serenity and grace (or not), Linda Eyre speaks with the voice of experience.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
7 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
Linda Eyre
66 books39 followersAs writers, lecturers, and grassroots and media catalysts, Linda and Richard Eyre's mission statement is: FORTIFY FAMILIES by Popularizing Parenting, Validating Values, and Bolstering Balance. Their latest efforts in these directions are their new books, The Happy Family (St. Martins Press,), Empty Nest Parenting (Bookcraft,) and The Book of Nurturing (McGraw Hill,), and their regular appearances on The CBS Early Show.
Linda is a teacher and musician who was named by The National Council of Women as one of America's Six Outstanding Young Women. Largely because of her, the Eyre family was named the Western U. S. "Musical Family of the Year."
Richard and Linda have nine children (one of every kind) and live in Washington, D.C. and Salt Lake City.
Linda is a teacher and musician who was named by The National Council of Women as one of America's Six Outstanding Young Women. Largely because of her, the Eyre family was named the Western U. S. "Musical Family of the Year."
Richard and Linda have nine children (one of every kind) and live in Washington, D.C. and Salt Lake City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
August 29, 2009
This was a very good parenting book with many helpful ideas. I really liked that it tells the truth about what a hard job it is to be a mother... there is no formulaic way to make it easy. There are principles that will make it better for everyone, but there is no cure- all for family challenges. I took a lot of notes and feel that I can be a better mother by remembering some of the things I learned. Linda Eyre is very funny and down to earth and very easy to relate to (even though I could personally never have ten children).
At first I was surprised by some of the author's parenting admissions (going into the post office with a 4 year old and infant in the car and going through a long line; taping a binkie in a child's mouth) but then I realized this was written 21 years ago... things have changed some.
What I especially liked:
The book offers concrete improvement ideas in areas including developing patience, sibling rivalry, anger management, planning for success, etc.
The chapters are short and well-written with a healthy dose of humor.
A very good read.
Below are the notes I took so I could review and commit to some of the principles in the book. So this is what I learned and you could say a mini "summary" of the book and what I thought was most important. (This contains "spoilers").
Practice Patience (practice makes perfect):
1- Don't overvalue material things.
2- Visualize self as calm center in storm.
3- Reachable goals (apologize if you fail).
4- Remind children that things aren't fair.
5- Voice of mildness.
6- Decide on calmness in advance.
Chart children's issues, reaction, & improvement plan (things that happen).
Example:
Child: William
Issue: He grabs stuff of counter.
My Reaction: Scream Stop! No!
Plan for Better Action: Focus on keeping counters clear & creating a more spill/mess-proof environment .
Child: Ella
Issue: Not prepared to leave house.
My Reaction: tense frustration, after multiple requests, yeall get in the car right now, we're late...
Plan for Better Action: Reward readiness.
Sibling Rivalry (method geared to younger children)
Repenting Bench
● Sit until they can tell me what they did wrong (Ella tells what Ella did wrong, Michael tells what Michael did wrong). If they sit a while or can't figure it out, they will have to ask, “what did I do?”
● Dialogue: “I'm sorry I did..., will you forgive me? I won't do it again.”
● Hug
● We talk about what Jesus would do.
Speed in Going Slow
“I can get this done faster if I remain calm.” ~
No right or wrong... come to win-win. Both parties can understand the other's view and progress to resolution. Much burden lifted by sympathy and understanding (in the case of child who feels overworked for example).
Practice looking through child's eyes. ~
Adversity- Many problems are up to us and the Lord. Others cannot take away many of our burdens... but they help us grow and develop compassion. ~
The “Drastic Park” is causing a pearl to form, and will help us help others. ~
Children must have room to be individuals (but must operate within parameters).
Children are not like clay to be molded, but seedlings.
Our Job: observe, water,,provide light, weed, fertilize, nurture.
The Result: a beautiful plant... each one different!
Watch children to see what they love and excel at (what kind of “plant” they are). Be a good watcher.
Hormonal Anger Solution
Pause and ask, “What does my conscience say to do?”
Remember who is to blame if I lose my temper: me.
Worrying
● Will this matter in 5 years?
● Worry less about changing others and more about changing self.
● Try to dismiss unfounded worries and look to the Lord for help on genuinely important worries.
Unconditional Love
● “I don't like what you did, but there's nothing you could do that would make me stop loving you.”
● “What you did makes me very angry. I don't like your behavior. But no matter what, I still love you.”
Praise Dwell on positive.
Change We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are (Anais Nih).
Record Watch for “the moments” and write them down.
What are we busy about?
To Succeed, I Need a Plan
● Have a goal in mind.
● Think about how to make things better
● Getaway (24-48 hours)
1- Mission Statement
2- My long range goals.
What do I need to accomplilsh goals?
Physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, spiritually
3- Realize life's “seasons” (spend energy on the season I'm in)
● youth & college
● childbearing/ child rearing
● heavier involvement in carreer/activities outside hom
● getting older, traveling, grandchildren
4- Medium range goals- Where to I want to be in five years?
What personality traits, relationship with kids
5- How can I be the best partner possible?
● Show admiration and appreciation (What do I admire and how can I show it?)
● Weekly Date
● Weekly planning session (this week's activities, how we can help each other)
● Five facet review of children's needs (physical, emotional, social, mental, spiritual)
6- Survey children's progress
● What are each childs interests and gifts
● Journal for each: things they have done and said, observations of what they are like
Gift it for wedding or college graduation.
7- Determine not to “scorekeep” (worry about grades, progress on an instrument, popularity
compared with others).
Instead focus on:
Is he/she really being educated?
How can I improve quality of his/her life?
How sensitive is he/she to others?
8- Set family goals together and focus
9- Remember mothering is hard.
Learn from mistakes and apologize.
Write plans to be more patient, understanding, and loving.
Spend some time each year on “yearly goals”, each month on “monthly goals”, each week on “weekly goals”.
This carreer takes dedication and determination, prayer and persistence, talent and tenacity, madness and mental energy, humor and sensitivity, and plenty of overtime.
At first I was surprised by some of the author's parenting admissions (going into the post office with a 4 year old and infant in the car and going through a long line; taping a binkie in a child's mouth) but then I realized this was written 21 years ago... things have changed some.
What I especially liked:
The book offers concrete improvement ideas in areas including developing patience, sibling rivalry, anger management, planning for success, etc.
The chapters are short and well-written with a healthy dose of humor.
A very good read.
Below are the notes I took so I could review and commit to some of the principles in the book. So this is what I learned and you could say a mini "summary" of the book and what I thought was most important. (This contains "spoilers").
Practice Patience (practice makes perfect):
1- Don't overvalue material things.
2- Visualize self as calm center in storm.
3- Reachable goals (apologize if you fail).
4- Remind children that things aren't fair.
5- Voice of mildness.
6- Decide on calmness in advance.
Chart children's issues, reaction, & improvement plan (things that happen).
Example:
Child: William
Issue: He grabs stuff of counter.
My Reaction: Scream Stop! No!
Plan for Better Action: Focus on keeping counters clear & creating a more spill/mess-proof environment .
Child: Ella
Issue: Not prepared to leave house.
My Reaction: tense frustration, after multiple requests, yeall get in the car right now, we're late...
Plan for Better Action: Reward readiness.
Sibling Rivalry (method geared to younger children)
Repenting Bench
● Sit until they can tell me what they did wrong (Ella tells what Ella did wrong, Michael tells what Michael did wrong). If they sit a while or can't figure it out, they will have to ask, “what did I do?”
● Dialogue: “I'm sorry I did..., will you forgive me? I won't do it again.”
● Hug
● We talk about what Jesus would do.
Speed in Going Slow
“I can get this done faster if I remain calm.” ~
No right or wrong... come to win-win. Both parties can understand the other's view and progress to resolution. Much burden lifted by sympathy and understanding (in the case of child who feels overworked for example).
Practice looking through child's eyes. ~
Adversity- Many problems are up to us and the Lord. Others cannot take away many of our burdens... but they help us grow and develop compassion. ~
The “Drastic Park” is causing a pearl to form, and will help us help others. ~
Children must have room to be individuals (but must operate within parameters).
Children are not like clay to be molded, but seedlings.
Our Job: observe, water,,provide light, weed, fertilize, nurture.
The Result: a beautiful plant... each one different!
Watch children to see what they love and excel at (what kind of “plant” they are). Be a good watcher.
Hormonal Anger Solution
Pause and ask, “What does my conscience say to do?”
Remember who is to blame if I lose my temper: me.
Worrying
● Will this matter in 5 years?
● Worry less about changing others and more about changing self.
● Try to dismiss unfounded worries and look to the Lord for help on genuinely important worries.
Unconditional Love
● “I don't like what you did, but there's nothing you could do that would make me stop loving you.”
● “What you did makes me very angry. I don't like your behavior. But no matter what, I still love you.”
Praise Dwell on positive.
Change We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are (Anais Nih).
Record Watch for “the moments” and write them down.
What are we busy about?
To Succeed, I Need a Plan
● Have a goal in mind.
● Think about how to make things better
● Getaway (24-48 hours)
1- Mission Statement
2- My long range goals.
What do I need to accomplilsh goals?
Physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, spiritually
3- Realize life's “seasons” (spend energy on the season I'm in)
● youth & college
● childbearing/ child rearing
● heavier involvement in carreer/activities outside hom
● getting older, traveling, grandchildren
4- Medium range goals- Where to I want to be in five years?
What personality traits, relationship with kids
5- How can I be the best partner possible?
● Show admiration and appreciation (What do I admire and how can I show it?)
● Weekly Date
● Weekly planning session (this week's activities, how we can help each other)
● Five facet review of children's needs (physical, emotional, social, mental, spiritual)
6- Survey children's progress
● What are each childs interests and gifts
● Journal for each: things they have done and said, observations of what they are like
Gift it for wedding or college graduation.
7- Determine not to “scorekeep” (worry about grades, progress on an instrument, popularity
compared with others).
Instead focus on:
Is he/she really being educated?
How can I improve quality of his/her life?
How sensitive is he/she to others?
8- Set family goals together and focus
9- Remember mothering is hard.
Learn from mistakes and apologize.
Write plans to be more patient, understanding, and loving.
Spend some time each year on “yearly goals”, each month on “monthly goals”, each week on “weekly goals”.
This carreer takes dedication and determination, prayer and persistence, talent and tenacity, madness and mental energy, humor and sensitivity, and plenty of overtime.
April 6, 2012
This was the best motherhood therapy I've ever had. It helped me to realize that even a mother extraordinaire has the same hair-raising, scream into a pillow moments as I've had. It felt more like a friend putting her arm around me and just knowing what it's like here in the trenches of raising a family than an actual self-help book. She's completely honest about the good, bad and ugly (and sometimes just plain crazy) parts of being a mother. It's one I'll add to my personal library. I know I'll refer to it more than once if for no other reason to be reminded that we all go through it, that we survive, and that somehow we can find great joy along the way.
April 8, 2017
I related to this book the minute I saw the title. It is comprised of different essays that cover a wide range of topics from keeping the house organized to figuring out what you really want from motherhood. Loved it!
January 31, 2020
This book is a treasure! I feel like I’ve sat down with a wise old friend and am so uplifted after reading it. I feel like someone gets it! I laughed and cried throughout. This was exactly what I needed to read during this phase of life and on top of it the book is free on their website valuesparenting.com
November 15, 2007
This was fun, short, and a good thing to read when you're having a crummy day (week, month, year) with your kids. The author is the mother of nine children and has written several other parenting books with her husband, including a NY Times #1 bestseller. Anyway, I loved that she said she liked to write in the dust on her piano "If a thing is just barely worth doing, then just barely do it." And one time when her husband told her around midnight after a hectic day that two articles were due for a newsletter the next day that she needed to write, she covered her head with a pillow and told him, "I can't do it....and you are...stupid." Hee. Hee. I also enjoyed the chapter on Christmas and how she would like to write a "real" Christmas newsletter to send out about how 4 out her 9 kids don't flush the toilet, one whines and complains constantly, one always overspends, etc. It was great for a laugh and did provide some concrete examples on how you can improve some things.
September 3, 2009
This is my second time reading this. There are things I like about it and things that drive me crazy-like all the detail she goes into about her family's trips to different countries or moving on purpose just to provide her kids with opportunities to stretch themselves. That's great, but certainly not necessary as a parent, so why dwell on it so much in this book? Seems sort of like tooting your own horn. I do like to read about other mom's challenges to balance it all and stay happy though.
April 19, 2008
After reading several parenting books by Richard & Linda Eyre which were full of great info, this one was very refreshing because you could see that they really aren't as perfect as you'd had them pictured in your mind. Of course they still have done a fantastic job of parenting!
June 28, 2009
I have read this book many times and always find it helpful. She is a real Mother who tries to be virtuous and then keeps trying when it gets really hard (many times a day). I found myself laughing and consoled that someone else had the same day as myself.
July 26, 2013
It was a delightful read.
January 5, 2019
The author has a warm and friendly tone, and there is a lot of advice that makes sense, but I think that the book is a bit outdated, or maybe it's just that I don't live in that kind of environment. The author had loads of children and had chosen this deliberately and went all in for the mother role. A great part of the book is about all the chaos that happens in such a large family. Maybe this is still common in Utah where this book was published, but it seems very far from my reality. I deliberately chose not to have more kids than I thought I could responsibly handle (3, in our case), and although there were some busy years when they were little I didn't really feel I could relate very well. I guess I'm not in the target audience.
April 30, 2020
This is a must read for anyone raising babies! Linda Eyre is motherhood goals! She wrote this book in such an approachable way. It’s full of practical advice, funny stories, and tender moments all written as if from one dear friend to another. I love everything the Eyres teach when it comes to parenting and building family unity and this is a great addition to their other books. I Didn’t Plan to be a Witch will leave you inspired to do more, confident in what you’ve already done, and comforted when the road is rough. This is a wonderful place to get a dose of perspective, hope, and excitement for your motherhood journey.
June 25, 2017
Oh, how I adore the Eyre family!! Linda Eyre never fails to make me chuckle! She's so humble and open with all of her "mom moments" its impossible not to love her! But here's the thing - she has so much wisdom as well... she will have you saying "aha! Brilliant!!" even while the tears of laughter are streaming down your face! :)
I so needed this pick-me-up at just the moment that I started reading it!
I so needed this pick-me-up at just the moment that I started reading it!
January 12, 2020
I took my time reading this book and I loved it! I focused on 1 chapter at a time until I felt like I got the concept down. So many good parenting tips while keeping it real with great stories from her own life. It is a bit old school since it was written so long ago but I still think the advice in it is very applicable to today.
July 13, 2023
This book had me laughing out loud at some of the funny stories Linda Eyre shared about her kids. Made me feel like we are all in this together as mothers. Lots of great, practical advice to improve as a mother also.
July 30, 2017
Excellent book with real stories of a mom in the trenches of motherhood!
August 8, 2017
I have been reading some heavy, slightly depressing, books lately, so this book was a breath of fresh air. It made me chuckle and didn't make me feel guilty about my many mommy failures.
June 28, 2018
Every mother should read this book. So funny but oh so true.
August 13, 2018
So helpful. A book I want to re-read in a few years!
August 25, 2023
Cute, good
04/29/2010
04/29/2010
July 9, 2024
Such a relatable parenting book. It helped me through some hard parenting moments
February 26, 2018
Very fun and insightful. I related with the author because I feel like I have a million things to do and I’m the one doing all the housework and I don’t even have kids yet! Has good advice. I recommend it.
September 25, 2014
This was an excellent parenting book. The author is an LDS woman with 9 children who has written many popular books on parenting along with her husband Richard Eyre. The title of the book caught my interest; as Linda explains so well, "common, ordinary children have an incredible knack of driving an otherwise normal, fun-loving mother to the brink of insanity...there are moments when we put on our witch hat, stick a wart on our noses and screech things like, 'Don't bother me!' 'I can't talk about that right now!' and, 'That was a stupid thing to do!'" She recommends to "keep reminding yourself how much fun you're having."
She tells some hilarious frustrating personal stories of the day to day life as a mother. She has many great tips for improving your role as a mother. She talks about children not being like clay that can be molded how we want, but rather they are seedlings - whether an orange or a lemon - and it is our job to "observe, water, expose to the sun, weed, provide fertilizer, nurture, in order to make the most beautiful plant possible from the seedlings we are given."
I really like that she specifically reaches out to mothers of young children and says "I am here to offer hope. It is getting easier...and incredibly rewarding." I really don't like when parents say, "just wait until they're teenagers!" Like all teenagers are horrible. I like her perspective and optimism much better.
The most insightful part for me was the part about looking at motherhood as a career. She emphasizes the importance of having a plan and goal setting and taking time out to think about those things regularly. She reminds us that the key to success in any job is to love it. She says to "visualize yourself as being involved in the world's most exciting career. You are shaping lives, breeding self-confidence, discovering talent, directing these little people toward making contributions, and improving yourself as you do. You are doing your part in a grass-roots way to strengthen the crumbling American family unit, which forms the true basis of our society."
Very inspiring. I have a renewed energy and purpose to my mothering role. I plan to read more of her books.
She tells some hilarious frustrating personal stories of the day to day life as a mother. She has many great tips for improving your role as a mother. She talks about children not being like clay that can be molded how we want, but rather they are seedlings - whether an orange or a lemon - and it is our job to "observe, water, expose to the sun, weed, provide fertilizer, nurture, in order to make the most beautiful plant possible from the seedlings we are given."
I really like that she specifically reaches out to mothers of young children and says "I am here to offer hope. It is getting easier...and incredibly rewarding." I really don't like when parents say, "just wait until they're teenagers!" Like all teenagers are horrible. I like her perspective and optimism much better.
The most insightful part for me was the part about looking at motherhood as a career. She emphasizes the importance of having a plan and goal setting and taking time out to think about those things regularly. She reminds us that the key to success in any job is to love it. She says to "visualize yourself as being involved in the world's most exciting career. You are shaping lives, breeding self-confidence, discovering talent, directing these little people toward making contributions, and improving yourself as you do. You are doing your part in a grass-roots way to strengthen the crumbling American family unit, which forms the true basis of our society."
Very inspiring. I have a renewed energy and purpose to my mothering role. I plan to read more of her books.
March 2, 2015
I found Linda and Richard Eyre's books after reading their daughter Shawni's blog. We have used their books a lot as we develop our family values and systems. I wasn't sure I would like Linda's book - her individual voice is quite different to the books she has co-authored, but this is also from her unique perspective. I found a lot that I resonated with though. Linda is the mother of nine children and the book was written several years ago so she had a range of ages to deal with. As I struggle with the whole parenting of five kids thing, I was hopeful for some insight and I got some. Mostly I got some reassurance that it is okay to lose my cool and that it is hard not to. I also got a lot of encouragement to keep on keeping on. I felt like I was doing the right things after reading Linda's book. Maybe I enjoyed this book as much as I did because I am in the thick of things right now, but I think her tips are generically applicable to life and sometimes it helps if we are reminded of those things. Enjoy the moments, have a plan, relax, take the time to figure things out (I especially liked her suggestion to take 24 hours every 6 months to get away from it all and get your head straight). I really appreciated Linda's honesty about the chaos of her house and her kids fighting. It's nice to read about others and know that your household is normal! It goes so fast, the reminders to soak it in are always welcome.
March 14, 2016
I'm not sure what I expected when I picked this up. My sister had passed it to me, and I started it with preconceptions, and didn't get into it right away. It is written in essays, so you can put it down and read it in chunks. I wasn't really looking for self-help, or something spiritual, so I put it down a number of times for long stretches. I have read the last two thirds in much larger chunks. The author is a woman with nine children, yes 9 ! And while I cannot relate to some things (I actually only have 3), it was a very entertaining book about the trials of life. She is a working mom, a writer, so although she works at home, this was a plus for me, since I am also a working mom. I found myself enjoying it more and more as I went on. This author has written a number of books on parenting, and while I started out thinking this was enough, I may pick up another. She is very down to earth, very entertaining, and pretty real. I enjoyed her visions of her life.
December 5, 2007
My life really doesn't resemble the chaotic and dramatic life that parents of nine children and authors of a national best selling parenting book series have. But, that doesn't mean that I didn't take anything away from it.
Not really an advice book, per se, it's more of a "take heart - and don't sweat the small stuff" book. Which, I suppose, is good advice. I loved some of their funny stories and appreciate her willingness to keep it real. I LOVE real...especially when it comes to families. What good is there in the facade? Only discouragement and competition. None of us are perfect. But we can all be better.
At the end, she writes what I was thinking. She says, "Many of you are probably thinking, "I could have written this book." and she responds by saying, "Do it!"
And in a way, I think I am.
Not really an advice book, per se, it's more of a "take heart - and don't sweat the small stuff" book. Which, I suppose, is good advice. I loved some of their funny stories and appreciate her willingness to keep it real. I LOVE real...especially when it comes to families. What good is there in the facade? Only discouragement and competition. None of us are perfect. But we can all be better.
At the end, she writes what I was thinking. She says, "Many of you are probably thinking, "I could have written this book." and she responds by saying, "Do it!"
And in a way, I think I am.
August 2, 2008
I think this is the secret subtitle to my life! Very funny book, and an enjoyable read. The writing style left me feeling that the book was a little self-serving. The author repeatedly refers to all her other books and encourages the reader to buy those also. As well as sharing all the amazing successes of her 9 children in a way that can make you feel like a slacker if you are not staying up until 2 a.m. regularly helping your children with their science projects, instrument practicing or english papers! I guess it just came off a little "braggy" to me. I have enjoyed more self-deprecating styles like Emily Watts far more.
But.....I did come away with some excellent ideas on how to better mother my children, so I am glad I read the book, and hope I remember the ideas she shares....and hey, she's raised 9 children very well, so she obviously knows a thing or two!
But.....I did come away with some excellent ideas on how to better mother my children, so I am glad I read the book, and hope I remember the ideas she shares....and hey, she's raised 9 children very well, so she obviously knows a thing or two!
August 20, 2010
I acquired this book from a White Elephant book exchange. It's written by a very famous motivational speaker who focuses on family and parenting. She and her husband have 9 kids, all who have grown-up to become successful (most attended Ivy League schools), good people in society, and this particular book (they've written many) focuses on her experience as a mother and the things she learned. I wish it were more "do this, do that", but it was rather mostly stories and personal experiences. A good book that invoked a range of emotions by the reader - especially if you have children yourself. Recommended to all parents who are looking for a light read that will make you want to be a better parent. I actually look forward to reading some of their other books that are more "do this, do that" style vs. this type of narrative.
May 9, 2012
I saw this on a friends bookshelf a while ago, but put it off until I found out she was the coauthor of "Teaching Your Children Values." I always enjoy parenting books, so hopefully this one is as good as it looks.
I've now finished it, and love it. She has raised nine children and kept her sanity in tact, which is a feat worth celebrating in and of itself. The chapters are all really short, so you can fit one in during a few minutes of mommy time. (which is hard to find) It's a great parenting book that gives some good insights and advice w/o the unattainable goals of perfection. I really enjoyed it and plan on purchasing it for my own library so I can re-read it as my kids grow into their different stages. Definitely a fun read.
I've now finished it, and love it. She has raised nine children and kept her sanity in tact, which is a feat worth celebrating in and of itself. The chapters are all really short, so you can fit one in during a few minutes of mommy time. (which is hard to find) It's a great parenting book that gives some good insights and advice w/o the unattainable goals of perfection. I really enjoyed it and plan on purchasing it for my own library so I can re-read it as my kids grow into their different stages. Definitely a fun read.
May 19, 2009
Love, love, love it! So applicable to me--because yes, I didn't plan on being a witch yet there are days where I have my hat and broom along with the wart on my nose. Linda Eyre is such a great writer and gave me such a sense of hope. She is the mother of nine children who are now grown. At first I was nervous that this book would make me feel guilty and wonder why if she could raise nine children perfectly why can't I raise my three. Instead I was very pleased that she is a "normal" mom who had her witch moments all too often, with problems that I could relate to. I finished laughing, filled with hope, armed with new tools on becoming a more joy filled mother, and hoping that my children would remember me as a good mom. I am glad that I now have this in my personal library!
March 15, 2014
I will round my 4 1/2 stars up to 5. Tanya W's review contains pretty much all of my notes and feelings about this book. Since one of my New Year resolutions was to be more patient, I chose to type up Linda's advice on how to be a more patient mother, remembering that practice makes perfect!:
1-Don't overvalue material things.
2-Visualize self as calm center of the storm.
3-Reachable goals (apologize if you fail).
4-Remind children that things aren't fair.
5-Voice of mildness.
6-Decide on calmness in advance!
Linda has a great sense of humor and after raising 10 children, has lots of good tips and principles to live by. I marked up my book pretty good and I'm glad I can refer to it through my years as a parent!
1-Don't overvalue material things.
2-Visualize self as calm center of the storm.
3-Reachable goals (apologize if you fail).
4-Remind children that things aren't fair.
5-Voice of mildness.
6-Decide on calmness in advance!
Linda has a great sense of humor and after raising 10 children, has lots of good tips and principles to live by. I marked up my book pretty good and I'm glad I can refer to it through my years as a parent!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews